Miramar wins Broward's first 6A football championship

Williams passes for record five TDs in 42-20 victory

December 19, 2009|By Dave Brousseau, High School sports Editor

Orlando — Ryan Williams will remember this night the rest of his life. Probably so will the rest of his Miramar teammates.

In his finest game in the biggest game of the season, Williams passed for 254 yards and five touchdowns leading the Patriots to the Class 6A state football championship, beating DeLand 42-20 at the Citrus Bowl.

Miramar (14-1) becomes the first team from Broward County to win a 6A championship and first in the county to win in the largest classification since Hollywood Hills won in 4A in 1973.

Williams set state championships record with five touchdowns and highest completion percentage at .857 going 18 of 21 for 254 yards. Three of his touchdowns went to senior wide receiver Ivan McCartney

"One thing about Ryan Williams is not only is he a great football player, but a great kid," Miramar coach Damon Cogdell said. "What you see is what you get with him. He's always calm and poised."

"To break that record with all the great players that have played in this feels good." Williams said.

It was the Patriots passing game that put the game out of reach to end the first half and begin the second.

After DeLand (13-2) scored to cut the lead to 21-7, Williams quickly moved the team downfield connecting with Dante Chambers for a 20-yard scoring pass just before halftime. If that wasn't painful enough for the Bulldogs, Williams took his team 63 yards in seven plays to score again to begin the second half. This time a 29-yard scoring pass to Jeremiah Hicks. Hicks also rushed for 85 yards on 9 carries, scoring once.

"The touchdown right before halftime was very big for us," Cogdell said.

Williams competed his fifth touchdown pass to McCartney for 15 yards with 16 second left in the third quarter.

"All week the focus was whether Ryan could handle the pressure," McCartney said. "He handled it and we did what we always do and that's play Patriots football.:

The Miramar defense held DeLand to 200 yards of offense, 164 coming on the ground.

Said McCartney of Miramar's victory, "This is very big. Coming into the season nobody believed we would be where we are today."